![]() How should you organise the toys you are left with? MORE: 10 TIPS FOR ORGANISING YOUR KITCHEN ‘By donating and recycling toys beforehand, you’ll take away some of that pressure.’ ‘I have so many parents who feel stressed around Christmas and birthdays, because they think “What am I going to do with all this new stuff?”’ she says. It is well-documented that doing good things for others makes us happier in the long term, and it is never too early to start.’Īs for the regularity of clear-outs, Vicky says you should declutter toys ‘at a minimum’ twice a year, before Christmas and birthdays, which is when a new deluge of things arrive. By passing toys on, you will empower them, make them feel good about themselves and send an important message. ‘Discuss why other children might need their toys. ‘Involve them in the process of donating to charity’ says Kate. ‘Whenever I’ve worked with children, they’ve actually found decluttering an enjoyable activity, as it makes them feel important and responsible.’Īs well as helping children to realise that ‘stuff’ is fluid, and the positive impact of creating extra space, decluttering can also help little ones to embrace empathy. ‘The mum or dad will be very fearful about donating particular toys, because they think their child will be very upset, but when they actually ask the kid they are quite happy for it to move on to a new home’ says Vicky. Many parents are surprised to find how happily their offspring will get rid of items, says Vicky. What’s the best way to include your children in the decluttering process? This should give you a good indication of whether they will miss that toy should it make its way to the charity shop.Īfter you’ve done an initial declutter, culling any toys that are unloved, too bulky or not age-appropriate, you can do a second round of organising with your child, helping them to feel involved in the process. If you’re not sure how attached your child is to a particular toy, try putting it away for a while and seeing if your child asks for it, or instead just completely forgets its existence. MORE: 'A PRO ORGANISER CLEARED OUT MY WARDROBE AND THIS IS WHAT I LEARNED' If the toy is too old for them, it may cause frustration and won’t do anything positive for their self-confidence’ she says. ‘Playing with a toy aimed at younger kids may not encourage your child to learn. Kate also says you should think carefully about how age-appropriate each toy is. ![]() It’s better to pass on the toy to a child who will get joy from it’. ‘Don’t keep a toy because you somehow feel you should. ‘Just because an older sibling played in a certain way, doesn’t mean a younger one will’ she says. Kate Ibbotson of A Tidy Mind recommends observing your children closely as they play, to see which toys they actually enjoy playing with, and not assuming that because an older child loved a certain toy, you should keep hold of it for a younger brother or sister. Helen’s rule of thumb when it comes to getting rid of toys is ‘If they have grown out of it – pass it on to a younger child if it is worn out, recycle it and it if isn’t being used, takes up too much space or you have more than one, donate it’. So how can you choose which items to get rid of? There is also the concern that the kids themselves will kick off when they realise that a particular toy is no longer available – the possibility of a mega-tantrum is one no parent wants to face. Helen Sanderson, who is based in North London, offers personal organising services across London and the home counties, says ‘Parents associate toys with precious memories of their child growing up, and therefore find it hard to let go.’ Parents’ sentimentality, however, has a huge part to play in our inability to get rid of toys. MORE: 5 THINGS A DECLUTTERING EXPERT WOULD NEVER BUY ![]() ‘It’s a big problem because when children have far too many toys, they aren’t able to see and value each item it’s overwhelming for them, just as a wardrobe fit to burst is overwhelming for adults’ says Vicky. Toys are the enemy of organisation in many a home – professional organiser Vicky Silverthorn estimates that around 80 per cent of her clients name toys as a source of clutter they are constantly battling with. Why do we find it so hard to get rid of toys? So how can you declutter your kids’ toys without causing drama? We spoke to the UK’s top professional organisers to find out…
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |